§ 14. Sir CHARLES CAYZERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can now tabulate a statement showing what the precise naval strength in all categories of war vessels under 20 years of age of the five signatory Powers of the London Naval Treaty will be in 1936, assuming that all the signatory Powers build up to the full tonnage 1163 allowance permitted them under the terms of the treaty as modified by the agreement just concluded with the French and Italian Governments?
| — | British Commonwealth of Nations. | U.S.A. | Japan. | France. | Italy. | |
| Capital Ships | … | 138,650 | 260,600* | 154,750 | 46,666 | 46,666 |
| Aircraft Carriers | … | 135,000 | 135,000 | 81,000 | 56,146 | 34,000 |
| Cruisers:— | ||||||
| Guns of more than 6/" | … | 146,800 | 180,000 | 108,400 | 70,000 | 70,000 |
| Guns of 6/" or leas | … | 192,200 | 143,500 | 100,450 | 198,233 | 151,363 |
| Destroyers | … | 150,000 | 150,000 | 105,500 | ||
| Submarines | … | 52,700 | 52,700 | 52,700 | 81,989† | 52,700 |
| * Includes 9,000 tons allowed for modernisation of new Mexico Class. | ||||||
| † This figure is unacceptable to us in permanent relation to our destroyer tonnage figure of 150,000 tons. It has been accepted temporarily, pending a satisfactory solution at the 1932 Conference. |
§ 18. Rear-Admiral BEAMISHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state for each country concerned the classes, numbers, tonnage, and armament of war vessels that are now under construction in those countries for other countries?
Mr. ALEXANDERAs the answer is in tabular form, I will with the hon. and gallant Member's permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
| Building in | For | Class. | Number. | Tonnage. | Armament. | |
| Great Britain | Yugoslavia | … | Flotilla Leader | 1 | 2,400 | 4 5/" 6 torpedo tubes (21"). |
| France | Poland | … | Destroyer | 1 | 1,515 | 4 5/" 6 torpedo tubes (21/"). |
| Poland | … | Submarine | 3 | 964 | 1 3/" 6 tubes (21/"). | |
| Italy | Rumania | … | Submarine | 1 | 640 | 1 4/" 6 tubes (21.2). |
| Rumania | … | Submarine Depot Ship. | 1 | 2,264 | 2 4" A.A. | |
| Argentine | … | Cruiser | 2 | 6,495 | 6 7/" 6 tubes (21/"). | |
| Argentine | … | Submarine | 3 | 863 | 1 4/" 8 tubes (21"). | |
| Turkey | … | Destroyer | 2 | 1,230 | 4 4/" 6 tubes (21"). | |
| Turkey | 2 | 1,450 | ||||
| Turkey | … | Submarine | 1 | 624 | 1 4/" 6 tubes (21"). | |
| Turkey | Submarine | 1 | 876 | 1 4" 4 tubes (21"). | ||
| Turkey | … | Submarine Chasers | 3 | 33.5 | 1 3" 2 torpedoes (18"). | |
| Greece | … | Destroyer | 2 | 1,230 | 4 4/" 6 torpedo tubes (21"). | |
| Greece | 2 | 1,427 | ||||
| Greece | … | C.M.B. | 2 | 35.4 | — | |
| Persia | … | Gunboat | 2 | 935 | — | |
| Persia | … | Patrol Vessel | 4 | 326 | — |
Mr. ALEXANDERAs the answer is in tabular form, I will with the hon. Member's permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Rear-Admiral BEAMISHCan the right hon. Gentleman give me the figures for Italy?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe hon. and gallant Gentleman will get the answer in a few minutes, and he will get all he wants.
§ Following is the answer:
1165§ At the end of Questions—
§ Commander SOUTHBYIn reference to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, on a point of Order just now, may I take this opportunity to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty a question which has been on the Order Paper for some time but which appears to have been by some mischance transferred to another date without reference to me? The question is how far the construction has gone in the 1930 naval programmes for the United States of America and Japan, respectively? In asking that question may I point out that it is germane to the subject of the Debate which is about to take place.
Mr. ALEXANDERI am in the hands of the House and of you Mr. Speaker, in this matter. The question is not on the Paper. It is marked as having been postponed until Thursday, on page 1770 of the Orders of 9th March—not at our request.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman is not bound to give the answer now.
Mr. ALEXANDERI am willing to give the answer now. The answer is as follows:
In the United States of America and Japan the British system of an annual building programme is not always followed. Building programmes are usually put forward at irregular intervals covering, as a rule, a period of years. In the case of both countries, however, Annual Appropriations are necessary to carry out the authorised programme. Appropriations were made for the following new vessels in 1930:
§ United States of America.
§ 1 Aircraft Carrier.—Contract awarded 16th October, 1930.
§ 2 Cruisers:
§ No. 37.—Contract awarded 14th February, 1931.
§ No. 38.—Ordered 11th October, 1930.
§ Submarine V.7.—Laid down 1930. Japan.
§ 1 Minelayer.—Laid down August, 1930.